Israel also hopes that Egypt will convince Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasir Arafat to "transfer his powers" to his premier Ahmad Quraya, and settle in the Gaza Strip instead of staying in his battered Ram Allah headquarters.

In return, Israel would withdraw its occupation forces from the entire Gaza Strip, including the so-called Philadelphia Route, a buffer zone separating the Egyptian town of Rafah from the Palestinian Rafah.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told Aljazeera.net that details of the visit were still being worked out, saying the visit was a sincere effort on the part of Sharon to advance the disengagement plan.

"The government is making sincere and labourious efforts to approve the plan. Yes, Sharon is facing problems, but this is what often happens in democratic countries," said Amira Oron, alluding to the fierce opposition to the plan by a majority of Sharon’s cabinet ministers.

Likud opposition

When asked why Sharon was sending Shalom, who opposes the plan, to Cairo when he has been unable to get either his government or his party to support the plan, Oron claimed that Shalom was supportive of the plan.

"I think he is putting his entire premiership at risk. He has never sufficiently explained to the Israeli public why he must dismantle the settlements, especially given the fact that he has always been the settlements’ godfather"

Yossi Alpher,Israeli political analyst

However, Shalom fiercely opposes the disengagement plan, especially the dismantlement of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli spokeswoman admitted, nevertheless, that Sharon might eventually be forced to "introduce changes" into his government if all other doors are shut.

"Now, he is trying to get the present government to support the plan, but if he finds out that this is impossible he may well resort to taking other steps."

Some Israeli analysts contend that Shalom's dispatch is aimed at obtaining Egyptian inducements that might change the positions of some government ministers.

"I think Sharon is hoping that by getting favourable Egyptian responses to Israel’s requests, he will be able to change the minds of some his ministers, especially Shalom himself," said Yossi Alpher, a noted Israeli analyst.

He told Aljazeera.net that Sharon was trying to sell the disengagement plan to a sceptical public, but without making sufficient and adequate preparations for this "tremendous task".

Sharon risk

"I think he is putting his entire premiership at risk. He has never sufficiently explained to the Israeli public why he must dismantle the settlements, especially given the fact that he has always been the settlements’ godfather.

"So, he is facing a crisis which could make him end up losing his party if not his government."

Despite the fact that Sharon is under no real pressure from an election

-embroiled Bush administration, Alpher said he had to do something to avoid the appearance of failure.

President Mubarak is said to wantto facilitate Israel's Gaza pull-out

"He is committed to Bush; he is now committed to Mubarak. He feels he has to do something while nobody is pressuring him. He is also facing personal legal difficulties."

As an observer of Sharon for many years, Alpher expressed his doubt that the "bulldozer" who destroyed thousands of Arab homes would actually be audacious enough to dismantle Jewish settlements in Gaza.

"I will eat my lips up if he did it. I really doubt it. I am very sceptical about it."

Israeli public support

The Palestinian Authority has reacted with caution to the latest diplomatic activities.